March 30, 2020
On March 27, 2020, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (“HHSC”) released a "Health Facility Licensing Guidance Letter" for Ambulatory Surgical Centers (“ASCs”) related to the emergency rules adopted for ASC services and reporting requirements in response to COVID-19. The following was implemented in those rules:
- Texas ASCs will now be permitted to provide other health care services beyond surgical services and keep patients for longer than 23 hours of time in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- ASCs must immediately report to the Texas Department of State Health Services (“DSHS”) the number of functioning ventilators and other respiratory support equipment at the ASC, as well as any other information required by DSHS. The first required report was due not later than 10:00 am CST on Monday, March 30, 2020 via this link. The frequency for reporting required information is weekly, unless directed otherwise by DSHS.
- Certain other reporting requirements have also been amended by the emergency rules including that an ASC does not have to report (a) the transfer of a patient to a hospital, or (b) a patient stay exceeding 23 hours to HHSC.
The full text of the above-referred Guidance Letter can be found
here
.